ArticleDrug and alcohol dependence2019
A mixed-methods assessment of the impact of the opioid epidemic on first responder burnout.
Article in Drug and alcohol dependence, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
20 citing papers in PubMed, 58 citations in OpenAlex.
- Opioid Message Fatigue in the United States: Prevalence and Associations with Stigma and Policy Support.Substance use & misuse · 2026Article
- Acceptability and usability of a respiratory biosensor for drug overdose detection and first responder notification: a qualitative evaluation of perspectives from people who use drugs and wider stakeholders.Harm reduction journal · 2026Article
- "We're here, and we're non-judgmental, we're here to save lives": stressors and fulfillment among overdose response hotline operators in Canada.Harm reduction journal · 2026Article
- Building connection: overdose survivors' and professional service providers' perspectives on immediate post-overdose care.The International journal on drug policy · 2025Article
- "All it's gonna tell you is if it has fentanyl or not:" Perceptions of fentanyl and drug checking among first responders and people who use drugs.Journal of substance use and addiction treatment · 2025Article
- A Cross-Sectional Evaluation of City Firefighters' Exposure to Potentially Traumatic Events During Opioid Overdose Responses and Mental Health.Journal of workplace behavioral health · 2025Article
- "Oh, Another Overdose, for the Love of Pete": First Responder Perspectives on Overdose Response Technology.The western journal of emergency medicine · 2025Article
- "Wanna cry this out real quick?": an examination of secondary traumatic stress risk and resilience among post-overdose outreach staff in Massachusetts.Harm reduction journal · 2024Article
- "It's starting to weigh on me": Exploring the Experiences and Support Needs of Harm Reduction Staff in Connecticut using the Social-Ecological Model.Harm reduction journal · 2023Article
- Ensuring Optimal Mental Health Programs and Policies for First Responders: Opportunities and Challenges in One U.S. State.Community mental health journal · 2023Article
- Alcohol Enforcement in the United States From 2010 to 2019.Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs · 2023Article
- A cross sectional survey of provider experiences with patient drug overdose death.Journal of substance use and addiction treatment · 2023Article
- A Qualitative Investigation into the Trauma Exhibited by First Responders Impacted by the Opioid Epidemic.International journal of mental health and addiction · 2023Article
- Drug use behaviors, trauma, and emotional affect following the overdose of a social network member: A qualitative investigation.The International journal on drug policy · 2022Article
- "We were building the plane as we were flying it, and we somehow made it to the other end": syringe service program staff experiences and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.Harm reduction journal · 2022Article
- Compassion, stigma, and professionalism among emergency personnel responding to the opioid crisis: An exploratory study in New Hampshire, USA.Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians open · 2022Article
- Pharmacy Technicians, Stigma, and Compassion Fatigue: Front-Line Perspectives of Pharmacy and the US Opioid Epidemic.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Conceptualizing overdose trauma: The relationships between experiencing and witnessing overdoses with PTSD symptoms among street-recruited female sex workers in Baltimore, Maryland.The International journal on drug policy · 2021Article
- Essential work, precarious labour: The need for safer and equitable harm reduction work in the era of COVID-19.The International journal on drug policy · 2021Article
- 'You're not just a medical professional': Exploring paramedic experiences of overdose response within Vancouver's downtown eastside.PloS one · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundFirst responders have demanding jobs and report experiencing burnout. The opioid epidemic has added to first responder workloads, which could contribute to increased burnout. This mixed-methods study examined burnout among first responders by: 1) describing burnout among first responders specifically related to workload demands associated with the opioid epidemic; 2) exploring first responder perspectives on how the opioid epidemic has affected their profession; and 3) conducting exploratory analyses to examine how burnout and perspectives on the effect of the opioid epidemic differ across first responder professions.
methodsFirst responders completed an online survey (n = 196), including a burnout questionnaire, as part of a county-wide opioid misuse resource and needs assessment. A subset completed qualitative interviews (n = 12). In both the survey and interviews, participants were asked their perspectives on how the opioid epidemic impacted their profession.
resultsOne-third (33%; n = 179) of survey respondents reported high burnout scores. The majority saw community opioid misuse as a significant problem (98%; n = 188) that has affected their profession (95%; n = 188). Qualitative analyses supported survey findings with participants expressing increased workloads and emotional effects related to the opioid epidemic.
conclusionsFirst responders reported experiencing burnout, increased workloads, and negative emotional effects related to their role in responding to the opioid epidemic. Despite this, first responders view responding to community opioid misuse as part of their professional role for which they have received specialized training. Future research should continue to explore the impact of the opioid epidemic on first responders, including how to prevent or address burnout.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.